Today we’d like to introduce you to Derick Jones.
Hi Derick, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
My name is Derick Jones. I grew up in Atlanta, Ga where I attended Grove Park Elementary a school off of Bankhead Hwy, a neighborhood in Atlanta known for violence, crime and drugs at the time. There I began my musical journey in the chorus and eventually transitioned to band and orchestra in middle school at West Fulton Middle. I learned to play many instruments including: alto sax, bass clarinet, trumpet, sousaphone, tuba, snare drums, piano, viola, cello, and bass, but when I found the violin at age 12 I knew that it was the instrument for me because it was very challenging which kept me engaged and made it more fun and because the violins most-often carried the melody in the orchestra and I always preferred the melodies because they were oftentimes more memorable, fun, and difficult. I continued to play throughout high school ( Frederick Douglass High ) and college ( Georgia Tech ). Throughout that time I performed with many orchestras and musical production places and continued to play the instrument I love.
Eventually I decided to make a Youtube channel to document as I learn how to play music by ear since I had only been playing mostly sheet music up until that point. I made the Youtube channel and created close to 250 songs on it. From there I’ve performed at a host of events including but not limited to: engagement parties, proposals, weddings, birthdays, honorary events, galas, art classes, schools assemblies, funerals, open mics, karaokes, feature on tracks, music videos, grand openings, valentines day, mothers day, fathers day, anniversaries, and the list goes on. I’ve won a host of talent shows around the city of Atlanta and have held/hold residencies at many restaurants in and around Atlanta. One of the major treats of the work i’m in is I travel often for engagements, have even done overseas flights for performances. I also have an online presence to let my music reach a bigger audience I can be reached on FB, Twitter, OnlyFans, JustForFans, BandCamp, GigSalad, Instagram, Patreon, Youtube, and growing! I can also be reached directly at www.BankheadViolinist.com.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road at all. Some of the struggles along the way have been having to raise the money for equipment before I could play at certain venues. My first residency at a restaurant was at Sage Woodfire Tavern and though I was hired as a musician I had to work as a server there for months first to make the extra money to afford the the speaker, mic, instrument mic, mixer, and the cables required to play there while still covering the bills. The transition and leap of faith you take when you become a full time musician is a big one. I decided to switch because I was receiving gigs that would make it really hard to hold down a standard job because I would need to call off to try to gig. Since event entertainment has it’s seasons and slow days I’ve used side hustles to fill the gap between gigs and the new technology available makes it very much easier to do so. Covid-19 also proved to be very difficult because the restaurant where I was serving a residency was forced to shut down for a some months so I leaned more heavily than ever on the other hustles I had in place. Being a musician without representation has it’s own challenges and learning curves such as proper scheduling, timely correspondence, constant innovation, market analysis and research, accounting, and so much more but I have been working to keep the business growing and innovating while making sure to keep growing in my music as well and expanding my repertoire and styles.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a professional violinist. I’m specialize in R & B, Hip – Hop, Pop, Classical, and Gospel. I’m known for having a genuine sound, one that doesn’t sound synthesized because I perform with an acoustic violin which isn’t as common in the contemporary style that I play in and i’m not just freestyling within the key to the beat. I try to emote the same feelings that the singer does to try to best replicate the feeling they give you then I add subtle flourishes that don’t stray so far as to make the music unrecognizable but still give a feeling that this is my rendition.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
The thing that I enjoy the most about Atlanta is the diverse creative atmosphere. You won’t go a week without multiple venues having events featuring live talent from talent shows, to open mics, comedy shows, karaoke, and a multitude more. This creative atmosphere makes it easy to network and find other creatives who you can collaborate with or learn from and there are enough jobs and events throughout the city to be able to support the many creatives it invites.
Contact Info:
- Email: bankheadviolinist@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.bankheadviolinist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bankheadviolinist
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bankheadviolinist
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bankheadviolin
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/bankheadviolinist
- Other: https://www.onlyfans.com/bankheadviolin
